Introduction- What does the Bible teach about creation? (Gen. 1:12:15) along with 77 other references.
Five Principles of Creation
The Order of Creation
According to the Principles of science, the universe consists of Time, Space and Matter. This is in perfect agreement with Gen. 1:1- Time = Beginning, Space = Heavens, Matter = Earth.
Faith is our basis for accepting God's creation, (Heb. 11:3).
The universe is finite, though extensive. During Creation God singled out the Earth for special attention, it was unformed and unfilled until God did something about it.
Compare the first three days of creation to the last three days.
1. Day 1 to Day 4 Light to sun, moon to stars
2. Day 2 to Day 5 Water and Sky to fish and birds
3. Day 3 to Day 6 Land and plants to Man and animals
Day 1- (1:3-5), Let there be light, note light precedes sun.
Day 2- (1:6-8), The firmament, the atmosphere
Day 3- (1: 9-13), dry land and vegetation
Day 4- (1: 14-19), the luminaries- to divide night and day and to signal the seasons.
Day 5- (1:20-23), marine and bird life
Day 6- (1:24-27), animals and man
[NOTE: Each group was commanded to reproduce after its own kind. Only man contains the "breath of life," and is made in God's image. (Gen. 2:7,1:26) MAN IS UNIQUE, the Crown of God's creation.]
Day 7- (2:2) God quit creating.
Textual Analysis-
Verse 1- "In the Beginning" does not indicate when.
2- "Waste and void" No one knows how long the Earth was in this state.
5- "day"-since sun and moon were not put into place until Day 4, we have no proof that Days 1 to 3 were 24 hours in length.
11- "after their, kind" simply means dogs have puppies, cats have kittens, pear trees have pears, etc. It allows for variations within the species.
26- "Let us make man…"- Of the three Hebrew words we translate "create," all are used in reference to man's creation.
27- "His own image"-That is, man is an eternal spirit, and a creature of choice.
28- "replenish" to fill, not to do a second time.
Hypotheses of Creation
The Gap Theory- There is an indefinite period of time between Gen. 1:1 and l: 2. Some who hold this theory feel that other ages may, have pre-existed the Adamic age and were destroyed by God, similar to the Flood.
Initial Chaos Theory- This theory also holds that a long period of time existed between verses 1 and 2, during which time the earth aged.
Multiple Gap Theory- Places indefinite periods of time between each day of creation. This hypothesis is suggested by many of the so-called theistic evolutionists.
The Day/Age Theory- holds that each day of creation represents a long period of time. These periods compare to the evolutionists geological time periods.
The Pictorial/Day Theory- God took an indefinite time to create the world, but used six days to explain it to man.
The Literal Theory- There were six 24-hour days. God created everything "old," that is, man was created full-grown, why not the earth plants, etc? So even at the moment of creation the earth appeared old.
Conclusion
It is well to remember Heb.11.3 when thinking about creation. Faith is the Key. There are many things we cannot know about the creation, but the purpose behind God giving us Gen. 1 can be summed up as follows:
To show mankind that the world originally proceeded from the creative activity of God.
That Godhood alone, is the creator of the world.
That through His creation He reveals Himself to be the Eternal God, omnipotent, omniscient, and infinitely good.
Finally, to inform man of the noble origins of his ancestors, and of the exalted dignity attached to mankind, because we are created in the image of God.
The most important thing to know concerning creation is neither when nor how God did it, but that GOD DID IT!
Sources:
Creation: Evidence From Science and Scripture, Roy B. Zuck
I Believe Because (chapter 12), B.B. Baxter